Born to Die ...and Rise Again.

“Every other person who ever came into this world came into it to live.”  Jesus “came into it to die.  ...The Scripture describes Him as ‘the Lamb slain,’ as it were, ‘from the beginning of the world’”— Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

The Life of Christ fulfilled all righteousness and provided the ultimate example, One in whose footsteps we are to follow.  The Cross of Christ brought a forever forgiveness to every Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve— for every single sin, misstep, and mistake, every ounce of anger or arrogance to course through your soul, every slanderous word or shameful slight to ever cross your lips, every hurt or pain you’ve caused another or suffered yourself.  He paid a price no other could pay by dying a death no other could die!  The power of the Cross with its substitutionary death is a phenomenal truth— heart-healing, soul-freeing, redemption-realizing.  But apart from the Resurrection and the Eternal Life God so freely gives His Children, there is no hope for anything remotely resembling Life beyond the walls of this world.  The Resurrection of Christ gives us this Hope— the glorious Hope that Death is finally dead and the Grave is a conquered enemy!

Jesus in John 10:15b said, “I lay down My Life for the Sheep.  ...The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My Life— only to take it up again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again...,” vv. 17-18b.  Though Jesus had to be born as Man in order to die, He also died in order to rise!  I’ve heard many, many messages through the years, beautiful, powerful messages that focus in on the Crucifixion and the Work accomplished there... but far, far fewer that focus in on the Resurrection.  And yet Resurrection, restoration, healing and wholeness, these are the point.  They were, in fact, the focal points of the early Church, the Body of Christ in its apostolic infancy.

For a perfect example of this, read the Gospel account recorded by Mark— cf. Mark 15:1-16:7.  It contains the teaching of the apostle Peter concerning the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Another fascinating account would be the Gospel of Luke.  I love how Luke frames the angels’ words to the women in ch. 24 of his Gospel.  He says, “in” the terror of “suddenly” finding “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning standing beside them” {v. 4}, “the women bowed down with their faces to the ground [Not an unusual response in Scripture when humans are confronted with a higher order of being.], but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the Living among the dead?’”  It’s a great question ...one Abba is still asking to this day, at this very moment, in this very place: “Why do you continue to look for Life in what can only bring you Death?  In people, in places, in things— idols and addictions— with the stench of death hovering over them?  Why, when I offer you in communion with the Risen Christ ‘Life— to the full’ {Jn. 10:10}?”  “He is not here; He has risen!,” vv. 5-6a.  The way this last phrase is constructed in the Greek Luke uses for his Gentile readers it means: ‘At a particular point in real Time, real Space, and real History, He was raised from the depths of darkness and Death!’  Amen!

Archbishop Fulton Sheen, in his beautiful book The Life of Christ, said, “Christianity, unlike any other religion in the world, begins with catastrophe and defeat.  Sunshine religions and psychological inspirations collapse in calamity and wither in adversity.  But the Life of the Founder of Christianity, having begun with the cross, ends with the empty tomb and victory”  Victory, indeed— to resound for all Eternity.

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296
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